Following on from my thread on 1200GS vs 1200GSA I’ve now had the opportunity to take out for a test a 2007 KTM 990 Adventure. I’m judging it against the 1200GS as that’s my yardstick for this style of bike. Again, I know this has been done to death but I’d thought I’d give people the benefit of my findings for reference. Using roughly the same headings as per my previous post:
Looks
I think the KTM is one of those bikes that looks a lot better in the flesh than in photos. My initial thoughts from looking at photos before hand was that it was a slab sided ugly bike. I got to the test bike early in the morning and the sun was low. What was immediately obvious was that the paint is a nice deep metallic orange and it really did sparkle. This was offset with the dull matt orange of some of the other panels. Overall I was very impressed with the looks of the bike and think I prefer it to the GS. The lights / screen certainly look purposeful.
Sitting on the bike is an equally pleasing experience. The view is quite uncluttered. The display is very clear, although my preference is for an analogue speedo and unfortunately you get a digital.
From a quality standpoint it all looks and feels very good. Paint is deep and lustrous, welds are all neat and it just looks well put together. The feeling through all the controls and points of contact give a similar feeling.
Weather Protection
It was a nice sunny day when going out for my test on the KTM, therefore it was a tad difficult to guess where the rain would get to you. I did about 10-15miles on the motorway during the test and it was obvious that air flow over you is very well managed. There was no buffeting or unpleasant drafts. For cruising on the motorway at speed I’d say the airflow was superior to that of the GS and GSA. It was very easy to cruise at speeds in excess of 100mph. There is a touring screen available for about £60, but I would be happy with standard.
Riding
The first thing that hits you when you set off on the KTM is the weight. It feels so much lighter than the GS, although I don’t think the stats say there’s much difference. The second thing is the lovely engine, which is very responsive. At certain rpm’s (near peak torque I think) the throttle arguably feels a little too responsive resulting in a bit of snatch. This certainly got a bit better as I got used to the bike, but its certainly not as smooth as the GS, but what you loose in smoothness you gain in explosive response off the throttle when used in anger. I can see why a popular mod is an eccentric cam to give smoother response low down.
The cornering of the KTM did not feel quite on a par with the GS from my brief test. I do however think a lot of this was my unfamiliarity of the KTM vs GS. You certainly noticed the fork dive on braking, but it wasn’t excessive in that it upset the handling too much. I did find myself going wide in corners, but again I think this was me getting dialed into the machine. Once set into the corner the KTM was quite solid. I think with experience you’d get to 98% of the ability of the GS. The KTM handled fast and slow corners with equal ease. It was probably slightly slower steering than the GS, but faster than the GSA.
By the end of the 2hrs I was throwing the KTM around almost with the same confidence as the GS. As with the GS you can gas it through and out of corners with crap road surface with confidence.
The brake lever was almost a short two finger jobbie that I wasn’t too keen on. The brakes however were very good, lots of feel and an ABS system that didn’t intrude on your normal riding, even when braking over bumps.
Performance
The 1000cc V-twin lump is a real peach. It has nice low down torque with a linear speed torque curve. It revved to the red (actually black) line with ease. Engine braking was good, but less than that of the GS.
The roll on performance of the KTM felt much better than the GS. The engine note is also fantastic, it just screams for loud pipes. Cruising at high speeds on the motorway felt much less stressed than on the GS. The 6th gear also felt like an overdrive and motorway cruising was very pleasant.
The KTM will wheelie easily in first and will start to lift off the power in 2nd which is quite addictive from a corner exit. When accelerating, just like the BMW you’re better short shifting to get the most from the torque. After a burst of acceleration on the KTM when you look down you’re doing 90mph, where you think you’d be doing 60mph if you were on the GS.
Comfort
Looking at the KTM I thought it was not going to be particularly comfortable. The seat height felt almost identical to the GS and lower than the GSA. I rode the bike for 2hrs only getting off for fuel. The seat was comfortable in that I didn’t notice it at all during the ride, I certainly wouldn’t go for the comfort seat option that’s available.. The bars felt at a good height and slightly narrower than the GS – they were Renthal branded. The pegs were also comfortably low for my height. I would certainly have no problem putting in a 12hr day on the KTM.
Other Things.
The two fuel tank business is no problem at all. There are no restrictions on the neck unlike the BMW, so it is a quick affair. I suppose the downside is that you could put diesel in if you tried.
The tyres (Pirelli Scorpions) felt good in the dry, although I’d need more time to push them further. Due to the wheel sizes I think that you’re generally stuck with these tyres as there are no other road options (90/21” front, 150/18” rear)
Had a look at the panniers and they certainly appear solid. Made by Hepco Becker, they had a double plastic wall construction, which can be used to carry water in the gap. The metal locks look good and the seals certainly make the things look waterproof.
Service intervals every 4500m. Initial 600m service includes valve check, so is over £200. Minor 4500m service was quoted as around £150, with major 9000m service being £350. 2yr warranty involves European breakdown, so on a par with BMW.
Summary
The KTM really is a fun bike and in some respects quite the opposite of the GS. Where the GS is a smooth solid ride, the KTM is explosive and lively. When I got off the bike I really was grinning from ear to ear as it was such a laugh. If you’d have added a pair of un-baffled Akrapovics into the equation I don’t think the salesman would have got the keys out of my hand.
Uber-fun
Prices
Bike including Panniers £8495 (this includes ABS)
Akrapovic Pipes £641 (this includes revised KTM engine map)
Alarm £299
Hot Grips £53
Top Box + Rack: £195
Crash Bars: £132
Garmin GPS Mount (Touratech): £112
Looks
I think the KTM is one of those bikes that looks a lot better in the flesh than in photos. My initial thoughts from looking at photos before hand was that it was a slab sided ugly bike. I got to the test bike early in the morning and the sun was low. What was immediately obvious was that the paint is a nice deep metallic orange and it really did sparkle. This was offset with the dull matt orange of some of the other panels. Overall I was very impressed with the looks of the bike and think I prefer it to the GS. The lights / screen certainly look purposeful.
Sitting on the bike is an equally pleasing experience. The view is quite uncluttered. The display is very clear, although my preference is for an analogue speedo and unfortunately you get a digital.
From a quality standpoint it all looks and feels very good. Paint is deep and lustrous, welds are all neat and it just looks well put together. The feeling through all the controls and points of contact give a similar feeling.
Weather Protection
It was a nice sunny day when going out for my test on the KTM, therefore it was a tad difficult to guess where the rain would get to you. I did about 10-15miles on the motorway during the test and it was obvious that air flow over you is very well managed. There was no buffeting or unpleasant drafts. For cruising on the motorway at speed I’d say the airflow was superior to that of the GS and GSA. It was very easy to cruise at speeds in excess of 100mph. There is a touring screen available for about £60, but I would be happy with standard.
Riding
The first thing that hits you when you set off on the KTM is the weight. It feels so much lighter than the GS, although I don’t think the stats say there’s much difference. The second thing is the lovely engine, which is very responsive. At certain rpm’s (near peak torque I think) the throttle arguably feels a little too responsive resulting in a bit of snatch. This certainly got a bit better as I got used to the bike, but its certainly not as smooth as the GS, but what you loose in smoothness you gain in explosive response off the throttle when used in anger. I can see why a popular mod is an eccentric cam to give smoother response low down.
The cornering of the KTM did not feel quite on a par with the GS from my brief test. I do however think a lot of this was my unfamiliarity of the KTM vs GS. You certainly noticed the fork dive on braking, but it wasn’t excessive in that it upset the handling too much. I did find myself going wide in corners, but again I think this was me getting dialed into the machine. Once set into the corner the KTM was quite solid. I think with experience you’d get to 98% of the ability of the GS. The KTM handled fast and slow corners with equal ease. It was probably slightly slower steering than the GS, but faster than the GSA.
By the end of the 2hrs I was throwing the KTM around almost with the same confidence as the GS. As with the GS you can gas it through and out of corners with crap road surface with confidence.
The brake lever was almost a short two finger jobbie that I wasn’t too keen on. The brakes however were very good, lots of feel and an ABS system that didn’t intrude on your normal riding, even when braking over bumps.
Performance
The 1000cc V-twin lump is a real peach. It has nice low down torque with a linear speed torque curve. It revved to the red (actually black) line with ease. Engine braking was good, but less than that of the GS.
The roll on performance of the KTM felt much better than the GS. The engine note is also fantastic, it just screams for loud pipes. Cruising at high speeds on the motorway felt much less stressed than on the GS. The 6th gear also felt like an overdrive and motorway cruising was very pleasant.
The KTM will wheelie easily in first and will start to lift off the power in 2nd which is quite addictive from a corner exit. When accelerating, just like the BMW you’re better short shifting to get the most from the torque. After a burst of acceleration on the KTM when you look down you’re doing 90mph, where you think you’d be doing 60mph if you were on the GS.
Comfort
Looking at the KTM I thought it was not going to be particularly comfortable. The seat height felt almost identical to the GS and lower than the GSA. I rode the bike for 2hrs only getting off for fuel. The seat was comfortable in that I didn’t notice it at all during the ride, I certainly wouldn’t go for the comfort seat option that’s available.. The bars felt at a good height and slightly narrower than the GS – they were Renthal branded. The pegs were also comfortably low for my height. I would certainly have no problem putting in a 12hr day on the KTM.
Other Things.
The two fuel tank business is no problem at all. There are no restrictions on the neck unlike the BMW, so it is a quick affair. I suppose the downside is that you could put diesel in if you tried.
The tyres (Pirelli Scorpions) felt good in the dry, although I’d need more time to push them further. Due to the wheel sizes I think that you’re generally stuck with these tyres as there are no other road options (90/21” front, 150/18” rear)
Had a look at the panniers and they certainly appear solid. Made by Hepco Becker, they had a double plastic wall construction, which can be used to carry water in the gap. The metal locks look good and the seals certainly make the things look waterproof.
Service intervals every 4500m. Initial 600m service includes valve check, so is over £200. Minor 4500m service was quoted as around £150, with major 9000m service being £350. 2yr warranty involves European breakdown, so on a par with BMW.
Summary
The KTM really is a fun bike and in some respects quite the opposite of the GS. Where the GS is a smooth solid ride, the KTM is explosive and lively. When I got off the bike I really was grinning from ear to ear as it was such a laugh. If you’d have added a pair of un-baffled Akrapovics into the equation I don’t think the salesman would have got the keys out of my hand.
Uber-fun
Prices
Bike including Panniers £8495 (this includes ABS)
Akrapovic Pipes £641 (this includes revised KTM engine map)
Alarm £299
Hot Grips £53
Top Box + Rack: £195
Crash Bars: £132
Garmin GPS Mount (Touratech): £112
why on earth should anyone not post this comparison, GS against any other bike on a GS forum
